Electrical connectors



A ril 27, 1965 LELAND C. HOY ETAL ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS Filed May 16,1965 INVENTORS Leland C. Ifbg BY Bar 5 Haze/c days am YM United StatesPatent C 3,181,108 ELECTRKJAL CGNNECTDRS Leland C. Hoy, Skelrie, andBorys Hazelr, Mount Prospect,

lll., assignors t lindak Manufacturing Corp, Northhrook, Ill., acorporation at Illinois Filed May 16, 1963, Ser. No. 280,802 6 Claims.(Cl. 339184) This invention relates to electrical connectors for pro-,viding disengageable electrical connections, as, for example, between aplurality of electrical wires and a terminal block or the like.

One object of the present invention is to provide a pair ofinterengageable electrical connectors which are arranged in a new andimproved manner so as to prevent the connectors from being engaged in aposition which is backwards or reverse from the correct position ofengagement.

A further object is to provide new and improved connectors of theforegoing character, in which reverse engagement of the connectors isprevented by a construction which is extremely economical and easy tomanufacture.

Another object is to provide a new and improved connector constructionin which reverse engagement of the connectors is prevented by a fingeror flange formed integrally with one or more of the prongs on one of theconnectors, such finger or flange being engageable with the body of theother connector.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear fromthe following description, taken with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a rear elevational view of a connector construction to bedescribed as an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

heir normal positions.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 2 but shov 'ngthe manner inwhich the receptacle member of the connector is blocked against beingengaged with the lug member in a reverse position.

E6. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view showing the receptaclemember of the connector detached from the plug member.

PEG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken generally alongthe line 55 in FIG. 1.

It will be seen that the drawings illustrate a connector 19 comprising aplug member 12 which is detachably engageable with a receptacle memberor socket 14. In this case, the plug member 12 is formed as part of afuse and ten iinal block 16. A plurality of electrical wires 1 .7 areconnected to the receptacle 14-. T he purpose of the connector i0 is toestablish detachable electrical connections between the wires 17 and thefuse block 16.

The plug member 12 comprises a plurality of prongs 13 which are mountedon an insulating plate or body 2% In this case, all of the prongs 18 arealike and are mounted at equal intervals along one end of the insulatingplate 29. The illustrated prongs is are in the form of fiat bars whichare substantially rectangular in cross section.

In this case, the prongs 58 are formed integrally with a series ofconductor bars 21.1% which are suitably secured to the rear side of theinsulating plate 26, as by means of rivets 2.8. A plurality of fuseclips Ell, connector clips 32 and connector prongs 3d are mounted on thefront side of the insulating plate 2% and are connected to the conductorbars 21426 by means of the rivets 28. The exact arrangement of the clips39 and connector elements 32 and 34 is not of importance to the presentinvention. It will suffice to understand that the purpose of the connector it) is to provide disengageable electrical conned tions betweenthe wires 17 and the various elements ail-34 mounted on the insulatingplate 29.

The illustrated receptacle or socket member 14 comprises a body 36 madeof plastic or other insulating material. The body 36 is formed with aplurality of aligned slots 3% for receiving the prongs lid of the plug12 The slots 38 con municate with openings as in the body as. It will beseen that clips 42 or other suitable elements are mounted in theopenings 46 for engaging and establishing electrical contact with theprongs 18. Each of the wires 17 is connected to one of the clips Theexact construction of the clips 42 is not of importance to the presentinvention. For convenience, the prongs 18 are bent at or near the edgeor" the insulating plate 2i so as to extend at a small angle to theconductor bars 21-26.

In accordance with the present invention, the receptacle member i4 isprevented from being mounted in a reverse position on the prongs 18 bymeans of a flange or finger 445 formed on one or more of the connectorprongs 18. In this case, there are two such flanges or fingers 46,formed integrally with the conductor bars 21 and 26 which support thetwo endmost connector prongs l8. it will be seen that the flanges 4-6are offset from the prongs 13 but extend parallel thereto, as viewed inFIGS. 2, 3 and 5. Each llange or prong h: is bent or twisted edgewise soas to be engageable with the body 36 of the receptacle 14. As shown inFIG. 1, the flanges &6 partially overlap the connector prongs Each ofthe illustrated flanges 46 is cut oil at an angle to form an outer edge48 which is at right angles to the direction in which the receptacle i4is moved when it is engaged with the prongs It will be seen that theslots 33 in the body 36 of the receptacle i i are formed oil center inthe end face 5d of the body as. Thus, the body 36 has a relatively thinportion 52 on one side of the row of slots 38, and a relatively thickportion 54 on the other side of the row of slots. The thin portion 52 issmall enough to pass between the connector prongs 18 and the flanges4-6, so that the receptacle idmay readily be mounted in its normalposition on the prongs 18. However, the thicker portion 5a is too thickto pass between the prongs l3 and the flanges This will be clearlyevident from PEG. 3, which shows the manner in which the prongs 4sengage the thicker body portion 5a of the receptacle 14 so as to preventthe receptacle from being mounted backwards on the prongs 1 .8.

The construction and operation of the illustrated connector it} may besummarized by noting that the receptacle member 1- is adapted to receivethe flat prongs 3.8 V

of the plug member 112. The evenly spaced prongs l8 fit into the slots3% in the receptacle id and are engaged by the clips or contact members2 mounted within the body 35 of the receptacle. The blocking fingers rflanges as on the endmost prongs lid prevent the receptacle l i frombeing mounted backwards on the plug member 12. The thin portion 52 ofthe receptacle body 36 is small enough to pass between the prongs it;and the blocking fingers 46 so that the receptacle 34 may eadily bemounted in its normal position on the prongs all. However, the thickerportion 5 ot the receptacle body 36 is too thick to pass between theprongs l8 and the blocking fingers as.

It will be understood that it is easy and very economical to form theblocking flanges 46 as integral members of the conductor bars 21 and 26on which the corresponding connector prongs 18 are also formed. Thus,the flanges or fingers 48 afford very efficient and economical means forblocking the receptacle 14 against reverse mounting on the plug prongs1S. 7

Various other modifications, alternative constructions and equivalentsmay be employed without departing from the true-spirit and scope or" theinvention, as exemplified in the foregoing description and defined inthe following claims.

4. In an electrical connector, the combination comprising a plugincluding an insulating support,

We claim:

1. In an electrical connector,

the combination comprising an insulating plate having a plurality ofconductor bars mounted thereon,

a plurality of parallel aligned connector prongs formed integrally withsaid bars and disposed at equally spaced intervals along one edge ofsaid insulating 5 and flat blocking fingers formed integrally with twoplate, of said prongs in said row and offset laterally from a receptaclehaving a body formed with a plurality of said row,

l gn qua y sp Slots for fecfiiving Said COII- said fingers partiallyoverlapping the corresponding nector prongs, prongs, a plurality ofcontact elements mounted in said body said body having thinner andthicker portions on opand engageable with said prongs for establishingelecposite id f id row f l t trical connections thereto, said thinnerportionbeingsthin enough to pass between said prongs and said slotsbeing arranged in a linear said prongs and said fingers,

row, said thicker portion being too thick to pass between and blockingflanges formed integrally with the two said prongs and said fingers soas to prevent reverse endmost connector prongs, mounting of saidreceptacle on said plug. said flanges being generally parallel to saidprongs but 5, In n ele t i l e t oiset laterally from the row of prongs,the combination comprising a plugincluding an insulat aid row of slotsbeing positioned oft-center of said ing support, body, a plurality offiat bar-shaped connector prongs mounted said body thereby having athinner portion and a thicker on said support at equal intervals along alinear row, portion on opposite sides of said row of slots, a receptaclehaving a body formed with a linear row said thinner portion being thinenough to move beof slots for receiving said prongs,

tween said row of prongs and said flanges, contact elements in said bodyfor engaging said prongs, said thicker portion being too thick to movebetween and a flat blocking fmger formed integrally with at Said TOW 0fPmngs and Said flanges and thereby being least one of said prongs insaid row and offset laterblocked by said flanges if an attempt is madeto conally from aid nect said receptacle to said prongs in a reverseposisaid finger partially overlapping said one prong, tion. said bodyhaving thinner and thicker portions on op- 2. In an electricalconnector, posite sides of the row of slots, the combinat on omp g ainsulating member, said thinner portion being thin enough to passbetween a plurality of flat connector prongs mounted in a row id prongsand i finger,

on said member, said thicker portion being too thick to pass between areceptacle having a body formed with openings for said prongs and saidfinger so as to prevent reverse receiving said prongs, 4O mounting ofsaid receptacle on said plug. contact elements in said body for engagingsaid prongs, 5 I an l i l connector, and at least One fiat blockingfinger fcrmed integrally the combination comprising a plug including aninsulatwith one of said prongs and ofiset laterally from ing Support rowof u g a plurality of fiat bar-shaped connector prongs mounted 531d P ghavmg aporlon on one fi Said g g on said support at equal intervalsalong a linear row, ggi j to pass between prongs an 531 a receptaclehaving a body formed with a linear row said body having a projectingportion on the other side of slots for recfilvlag said prongs:

of said openings and engageable with said finger t ntact elements insaid body for engaging said prongs, prevent reverse mounting of saidreceptacle on said and a fiat biocklflg filigers formed mtegrany withprongs two of said prongs in said row and offset laterally 3. in anelectrical connector, fr m sald row, the combination comprising a plugincluding an insulat- Said y having thinner and thicker Portions 011 P-i t, posite sides of the row of slots, a plurality of fiat barshapedconnector prongs mounted said thinner portion being thin enough to passbetween t n a d ppor at equal inigfvals along a lineal said prongs andsaid fingers, said thicker portion being i mceptacle having y formedWith a lineal TOW too thick to pass between said prongs and said fingersof slots for receiving Said Pmngs, so as to prevent reverse mounting onsaid receptacle contact elements in said body for engaging said prongs,on Said plug and fiat blocking fingers formed integrally with end- 9most prongs in said row and ofiset laterally from said Ref ren Ci d b thE i row, I said fingers partially overlapping said endmost prongs,JNITED STATES PATENTS said body having thinner and thicker portions onop- 2,157,423 5/39 Obslamy 339220 X posite sides of the row of slots, 52,928,063 3/60 Gflmmel 17 X said thinner portion being thin enough topass between 3,004,235 10/61 Cohen 339186 X said prongs and saidfingers, 3,024,436 3/62 Kirk 339 176 X said thicker portion being toothick to pass between 3,065,448 11/62 Hopkins et al 339258 X said prongsand said fingers so as to prevent reverse mounting of said receptacle onsaid plug.

JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner.

2. IN AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR, THE COMBIANTION COMPRISING AN INSULATINGMEMBER, A PLURALITY OF FLAT CONNECTOR PRONGS MOUNTED IN A ROW ON SAIDMEMBER, A RECEPTACLE HAVING A BODY FORMED WITH OPENINGS FOR RECEIVINGSAID PRONGS, CONTACT ELEMENTS IN SAID BODY FOR ENGAGING SAID PRONGS, ANDAT LEAST ONE FLAT BLOCKING FINGER FORMED INTEGRALLY WITH ONE OF SAIDPRONGS AND OFFSET LATERALLY FROM THE ROW OF PRONGS, SAID BODY HAVING APORTION ON ONE SIDE OF SAID OPENINGS AND ADAPTED TO PASS BETWEEN SAIDPRONGS AND SAID FINGER, SAID BODY HAVING A PROJECTING PORTION ON THEOTHER SIDE OF SAID OPENINGS AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID FINGER TO PREVENTREVERSE MOUNTING OF SAID RECEPTACLE ON SAID PRONGS.